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So, as a Linux user these past 20 years or more, it's not that I'm unwilling to help my Windows-using family and friends, it's that I am no longer competent to

So, as a Linux user these past 20 years or more, it's not that I'm unwilling to help my Windows-using family and friends, it's that I am no longer competent to do so. The last time I tried (perhaps 8 or 10 years ago) the problem turned out to be that Windows insisted on controlling DNS settings that were never going to work. Somebody else had to find this out and fix it after I'd banged on it for an hour or more and failed to figure out what was going on in Windows' rats-nest of system config. It was then that I realised that I should never try to help Windows users ever again: the likelihood is I'd do more harm than good. There've been a couple of newer releases of Windows since those days, so the situation's only got worse.

zinekeller 5y ago
That's totally fine in my opinion, Windows 11 actually overhauls most settings pane that it requires re-learning for advanced users (except for Group Policy and equivalent enterprise-level tools).
- Ekaros 5y ago
  I have to admit, old Windows network configuration for example was a mess. But once you kinda figured it out you could handle it. I don't think new one is much better... Still, I don't have much good to say about Linux either. I think on Ubuntu you can manage to get 3 different ways of network configuration all half-working and not working at same time not being visible to each other...
  - zinekeller 5y ago
    Yup, fought with NetworkManager (is it part of SystemD? Definitely Red Hat though) and resolvconf (not the resolv.conf file) on that one, and that's only on the terminal. Desktop networking, even on macOS, is a pain unless you somehow use terminal-based NetSh/BIND tools/SystemD/IPTools (or registry and the (GUI) management console/MSC on Windows).
loloquwowndueo 5y ago
But I bet you don’t go around demanding they install Linux…
- mikro2nd 5y ago
  Oh, sometimes I do recommend it very strongly. On one memorable occasion I installed Linux for a friend who couldn't afford a Windows-capable machine. Installed the browser she'd need, an email client (this was the days before gmail) and made sure her printer and internet were working. 24 months later she was still happily using Linux without much being aware of the fact or caring. Eventually she went back to Windows, but only because her daughter needed to use some specific, Windows-only app mandated by a college course. tl;dr: Most people won't know the difference once the basics are working.
BoxOfRain 5y ago
I'm pretty useless at fixing Windows not because of any holy war or Linux evangelism but simply because I've not used it very regularly in donkey's years and don't have a clue. Last time I dealt with Windows at all was briefly two years ago as a database server for SQL Server, not very useful for the average user. I don't encounter it regularly enough to justify learning it to the point I could fix random user's problems. I did teach my family about adblockers though, which goes some way to reducing one vector for malware.

zinekeller 5y ago

That's totally fine in my opinion, Windows 11 actually overhauls most settings pane that it requires re-learning for advanced users (except for Group Policy and equivalent enterprise-level tools).

Ekaros 5y ago
I have to admit, old Windows network configuration for example was a mess. But once you kinda figured it out you could handle it. I don't think new one is much better... Still, I don't have much good to say about Linux either. I think on Ubuntu you can manage to get 3 different ways of network configuration all half-working and not working at same time not being visible to each other...
- zinekeller 5y ago
  Yup, fought with NetworkManager (is it part of SystemD? Definitely Red Hat though) and resolvconf (not the resolv.conf file) on that one, and that's only on the terminal. Desktop networking, even on macOS, is a pain unless you somehow use terminal-based NetSh/BIND tools/SystemD/IPTools (or registry and the (GUI) management console/MSC on Windows).

loloquwowndueo 5y ago

But I bet you don’t go around demanding they install Linux…

mikro2nd 5y ago
Oh, sometimes I do recommend it very strongly. On one memorable occasion I installed Linux for a friend who couldn't afford a Windows-capable machine. Installed the browser she'd need, an email client (this was the days before gmail) and made sure her printer and internet were working. 24 months later she was still happily using Linux without much being aware of the fact or caring. Eventually she went back to Windows, but only because her daughter needed to use some specific, Windows-only app mandated by a college course. tl;dr: Most people won't know the difference once the basics are working.

BoxOfRain 5y ago

I'm pretty useless at fixing Windows not because of any holy war or Linux evangelism but simply because I've not used it very regularly in donkey's years and don't have a clue. Last time I dealt with Windows at all was briefly two years ago as a database server for SQL Server, not very useful for the average user. I don't encounter it regularly enough to justify learning it to the point I could fix random user's problems. I did teach my family about adblockers though, which goes some way to reducing one vector for malware.